Comments Archive

Our website is a digital space for collaboration about physical space. We invite you to participate  in the creation of knowledge designed to secure greater public use of New York City’s 525 or so POPS, those zoning-created plazas, arcades, and other outdoor and indoor privately owned public spaces. Here is an archive of comments from visitors like you.

Anja Lorenz on 41 Madison Avenue:
The plaza at 41 Madison Avenue blends in completely with the sidewalk around it. It doesn’t set itself aside from the sidewalk in any way other than the circular benches with flower beds in the center and could easily be passed without registering its existence as a POPS. The four sets of benches each have about fifteen seats formed in a circle facing outwards, creating a total of around 60 seats, yet during my time at 41 Madison I saw only two people sit, one woman only briefly as she fixed her shoe. The four different sets of benches are spread out fairly evenly throughout the area and from what I could tell are rarely sat on. I think this is largely because 41 Madison Avenue is placed directly across from Madison Square Park, which is much more inviting than the extension of the sidewalk in front of a tall office building. In addition, while this almost undistinguished space appears benign, spending some time there indicates a certain social and even physical hierarchy. Standing at Madison Square Park facing East 26th Street, one notices the towering office building, filled with corporate offices with two security guards at ground level watching people pass by through the glass walls. This is directly next to a relatively nice and clean POPS with benches for people to sit on, and immediately at the edge of the POPS, the street becomes grungier and has homeless people sleeping on the ground against the wall of the office building. Against the office building a rules of conduct sign is hung stating that lying down on the benches is prohibited, the placement of tents or sleeping bags is prohibited, and removing items from the trash is prohibited. This clearly addresses the homeless population and is therefore excluding part of the public from the privately owned public space. The homeless literally end up at the ground below the towering office building at the perimeter.
Alice Cunningham on 1114 Sixth Avenue:
Grace Plaza is an unusual space to say the least. Situated at 42 West 43rd Street, this small, elevated concrete space sits in amongst five high rise buildings. The space is a concrete rectangle occupied by several stationary marble benches on its right peripheries and a giant glass box off to its left hand side. It’s not so much the location of Grace Plaza that makes it unusual, more so the feeling that it creates when one takes the time to sit in it. The domineering structures that surround the small space cause the area to feel enclosed, claustrophobic, and the occupants to feel insignificant, and out of place. The W. R Grace Building that the plaza is located in front of is an active office, which results in a constant flow of traffic leading both in and out of the building. Men in suits and women in blazers breeze through the space without taking a second glance at the people and objects that surround them in the Plaza. The space feels anonymous, it feels like you shouldn’t be there. Not only is this a feeling that is emitted from the individuals who work in the building, but the space itself makes you feel uncomfortable. The surfaces are all large and cold, the chairs are metal, the trees hilariously covered in fairy lights to distract from the reality that they are horrifically under-developed. The space feels empty even when people are in it, and it attracts a very specific person or persons to it. Mostly corporate, mostly well dressed, mostly caucasian, and mostly middle class. The space is a representation of modern corporate America. It tries to be something it’s not. Sitting in the space just makes you notice how you don’t belong there. Grace Plaza lacks life, it lacks personality, and it lacks humanity. The entire space is a variation of shades of grey, it’s not inviting, it’s not warm. People rarely stay for more than 10 minutes in the space, as if some unspoken timer goes off in their head telling them it’s time to move on. Whether this is intentional or not is impossible to know, but the result is the same. Grace Plaza does not want you to stay.
Tony Paladino on 135 West 52nd Street:
The recessed cavities on the east side are now accessible and are well lit at night
nanya on 325 Fifth Avenue:
And the 311 service request was closed. "The Department of Buildings investigated this complaint and determined that no further action was necessary."
nanya on 325 Fifth Avenue:
Still closed. 311 service request 1-1-1613617321
Tribeca Citizen on 101 Barclay Street:
The 101 Barclay lobby is now open to the public. https://tribecacitizen.com/2018/09/04/bny-mellons-lobby-is-finally-open-to-the-public/
Mark Sullivan on 60 Wall Street:
Best of luck POPS
Claudia Samson on 108 Fifth Avenue:
POPS at 108 Fifth Avenue: I am the building's new manager and I have been unable to locate the required drinking fountain and or ornamental fountain for the POPS. Please send me what was originally intended in photographic form of what is necessary to comply. Thank you very much.
Brian I. on 825 Eighth Avenue:
The security is worst! Absolutely no dogs allowed, ridiculous!
Amy L on 825 Eighth Avenue:
I regularly sit in the park and my understanding is that the cafes in this area need to share the space with the public. No luck today. I went to sit at one of the chairs and tables at Mother Burger and was told I couldn't sit down because the space was for the restaurant. I responded, isn't this public space. They said they would like me to sit elsewhere, near a wall with a bunch flies instead of out in the open.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52